Only in the Classroom: The Chicken, The Box, & The Homecoming Proposal

Some moments in teaching are so BIZARRE, you couldn’t make them up if you tried.

Some days, the funny classroom stories are SO crazy, that the teacher burnout has to take a back seat for a minute while you laugh about it.

For me, it was the day I walked into a hallway full of varsity basketball players—and found a live chicken flapping around the school carpet.

Yes, you read that right.

A CHICKEN.

In this episode of the TenX Teaching Podcast, I share one of those unpredictable “only-in-the-classroom” moments that no teacher prep program ever prepares you for. The moments that you only understand when you're part of a teacher community.

✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

➡️ Why classroom stories—funny, frustrating, or downright bizarre—connect us as teachers,

➡️ How humor can be one of your most powerful tools against burnout,

➡️ Why flexibility and quick thinking matter more than the “perfect plan,”

➡️ And most important, a reminder that you’re not alone in the unpredictable world of teaching.

👩‍🏫 Teachers, I want to hear YOUR stories! The good, the bad, the ugly, the inspiring. Share your “only-in-the-classroom” moment with me at www.tenxteaching.org/podcast—and you might just be featured on a future episode.

🐔 And for some extra fun, drop your best CHICKEN PROM PROPOSAL in the comments. I need to know what you’d have written on that sign!

👉 If you laughed, learned, or just felt a little more seen, hit follow and share this episode with a teacher friend. Let’s keep building a community where extraordinary educators swap stories, trade strategies, and rediscover the joy of teaching.

Credits: 

"Catchy Positive Sports Pop Rock", is adapted from "Catchy Positive Sports Pop Rock" by Music for Creators, used under CC BY 4.0. "Catchy Positive Sports Pop Rock" is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by TenXTeaching.